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The Legacy was passed to the L.E.A.D. Ambassadors

May 17, 2011 by C.J. Stewart

Did I see what I thought that I saw on Sunday, May 15^th during the pregame Civil Rights Game ceremony? Did I hear what I thought I heard the Braves PA announcer say? If you were at Turner Field with over 30,000 fans or tuned in with the millions of television viewers on the memorable day, you saw and heard it. Ambassador Andrew Young and Reverend Joseph Lowery stood at the pitcher’s mound with my L.E.A.D. Ambassadors Mendez Elder and Wesley Clement. With a loud and clear voice, the PA announcer said, “Ambassadors Mendez Elder and Wesley Clement, will you accept the legacy passed down to you from Ambassador Young and Reverend Lowery?” After his voice stopped, I saw Ambassador Young and Rev. Lowery give Mendez and Wesley a baseball. Mendez threw his baseball to Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies and Wesley threw his ball to Jason Heyward. Jason and Ryan hugged both Mendez and Wesley and presented them the baseball.

That was a magical moment for our Ambassadors, the L.E.A.D. organization, the city of Atlanta but most of all, it meant a lot to baseball in the African American community throughout the United States. L.E.A.D. is so much more than baseball. The “D” in the acronym L.E.A.D. is how we direct our Ambassadors using the legacy of legends such as Ambassador Young and Rev. Lowery. These men walked the walk with Atlanta’s own Dr. Martin Luther King. They are still alive to share the stories and keep the dream alive through Mendez and Wesley.

We do accept the legacy passed down from these iconic men. Baseball has been a part of the African American community since the game was created many decades ago. The 2011 Civil Rights Game at Turner Field gave baseball a platform to showcase how baseball is still America’s game for all Americans because of the influence of the Civil Rights Movement that was birthed here in Atlanta.

L.E.A.D. will continue to lead the way with the support of the Atlanta community. We can do this because by the grace of God, we are the solution to using baseball to help inner city males graduate from high school and access college. The only problem with solutions is that you can no longer talk about the problem.

Special thanks to Ambassador Young and Reverend Lowery for keeping the dream alive and being Ambassadors of hope. L.E.A.D. will continue to uphold your legacy with service to the game and world.

Mendez Elder L.E.A.D.’s the way to the Perfect Game National Showcase

May 17, 2011 by C.J. Stewart

A message from C.J. Stewart, Founder of L.E.A.D.

Being a L.E.A.D. Ambassador is about being exposed to the best that Atlanta and other U.S. cities have to offer and sharing it with the inner-city Atlanta community. We have four pillars of excellence: Academics, Athletics, Service/Civic Engagement and Exposure.

We select our Ambassadors from a three-month fall baseball development league, called the Legacy League. In order to be considered for the Legacy League, families must complete a college admissions style application process that includes an online application, letters of recommendation, family interview and an on field baseball tryout that is used to measure aptitude.

Our Ambassadors are held accountable for their scholarship opportunity in L.E.A.D. monthly. Their contributions on and off the field are tallied and measured; thishelps us determine who is invested in the organization and honoring the scholarship experience provided by our donors.

Mendez Elder is a junior at Grady High School in Atlanta and will be the first player to spend all four years in high school as a member of L.E.A.D. He is the face of our organization and represents what baseball could be in the Atlanta Public School System.

The Atlanta Public School System currently graduates only 34% of its African American male students. Seventy-five percent of the families that APS serves live at or below the poverty level. Through the support of the L.E.A.D. organization, Mendez is on track to graduate with a GPA of over 3.0 and earna baseball scholarship to a top-tier college.

This summer, Mendez will be only the second baseball player from the Atlanta Public School System to ever attend the Perfect Game National Showcase, which showcases the top 150 high school baseball players in America. There is an old saying that “you get what you deserve”. I can’t think of anyone more deserving than Mendez and his family!

In His Own Words: What does the Perfect Game National Showcase mean to Mendez?

Q: How many scouts do you expect to be there, and without this exposure,can you attend your dream school GA Tech?

Mendez: Scouts from the ACC, the SEC and most of the Major League teams will be at the Perfect Game National Showcase this summer. Without this exposure, being a student-athlete at Georgia Tech would be way out of reach for me.

Q: Has anyone else in your family gone to college?

Mendez: No. No one in my immediate family has gone to college.

Q: If you get a baseball scholarship to a Division 1 school, how willit impact your community?

Mendez: It would impact my community a lot because I would be one of the few to go to college through baseball. We have a middle school baseball program in L.E.A.D. now, and they all want to be Ambassadors like me. When I earn my scholarship to a Division I school, I will inspire them to do the same. And to go somewhere like Georgia Tech where they can come see me play? That would be a life changing experience for me and my community.

Q: What makes you sure that you will succeed at the showcase? Do you think you have a real shot to earn a Division 1 scholarship?

Mendez: All my life I have been practicing and working for a shot like this. Being in L.E.A.D. has helped me access the training I need to have a real shot at competing at this level. Through L.E.A.D. we have sponsors who help me get the training I need. Through Coach C.J.’s company, Diamond Directors, he’s been developing my swing for over 3 years now. And just recently I started working with a speed and agility trainer named Coach Matt at this place called Rapid Performance. Having access to this kind of training is unheard of where I come from, but because I have it, I’m confident I have a true shot to get a Division 1 scholarship.

Q: How do you plan to share your experience at PG National with otherplayers in your community and L.E.A.D.?

Mendez: Of course. Ever since 9th grade and being selected for L.E.A.D., I was taught to give back. I will blog about it and also spread the word in my community.Sometimes it’s all about holding conversations with people in person so they can see your face, and see that you are serious. I will encourage the scouts I meet to come scout Atlanta Public School baseball. There are baseball players all over Atlanta Public Schools (APS) but we just don’t get a chance at playing baseball on a higher level like players from other schools because we don’t have access to the resources that L.E.A.D. provides. As L.E.A.D. grows, I hope we’ll have enough money for scholarships for every kid in APS who wants to play baseball- but of course, like me, they have to earn it.

And the winner is…

May 8, 2011 by C.J. Stewart

Today, L.E.A.D. crowned Jean Childs Young Middle School as the 2011 L.E.A.D. Middle School Baseball Development League Champion. Young posted an undefeated season and played with energy and intensity every game. Congratulations to the entire Young Middle School!

The reality is that the city of Atlanta won today. There was a high level of excitement at Perkerson Park today. The stands were packed with family and friends. Everybody was asking “What’s next!?” Our next event is the All-Star game which will feature 30 Leaders representing B.E.S.T. Academy, Sylvan Hills, Young, King, Kennedy and Parks Middle School. The game will be played at Perkerson Park on Saturday, May 14^th at 10:00AM.

After the All-Star game, Coach Kerwin Giles will select 15 Leaders to represent L.E.A.D. as the Jr. Ambassadors for a competitive summer of baseball. The process to select these young men has been tough and I look forward to establishing relationships with some of Atlanta’s best assets.

If we are right about this, baseball in the inner city will be changed for the good for decades. Student-athletes from APS will flood college campuses across America receiving college degrees and setting records on the baseball field. Come be a part of the L.E.A.D. team by cheering in the stands at our next L.E.A.D. baseball game or getting dirty with us during our next service project. Check out our event schedule at www.Lead2Legacy.org.

And the winner is…Atlanta!

L.E.A.D. Volunteer and KSU pitcher Jeff Brown reflects on his time with Parks Middle School baseball players

April 27, 2011 by C.J. Stewart

As we face the different obstacles along the journey of leading our young men from being hopeless to hopeful, there are small things that happen to encourage, energize and reassure us that we are indeed doing what’s good for baseball and our communities.

The “small thing” today came from a Kennesaw State student, Jeff Brown, who selected L.E.A.D. as his volunteer project for his Education major. Please take a moment to read Jeff’s reflection.

Jeff Brown at Parks Middle School baseball practice

My field experience was with the L.E.A.D. organization located in Atlanta. This is a nonprofit organization that is committed to having a significant impact on the number of inner city middle and high school students athletes playing competitive baseball to prepare them for college baseball scholarships. L.E.A.D. stands for Launch, Expose, Advise, Direct. The purpose of this organization is to get young African Americans involved in baseball in order to teach and develop them not only as a baseball player, but as a person in order to get them a college scholarship. The three basic programs that L.E.A.D. provides are the Middle School Baseball Development League, the Legacy Baseball Instructional League, and the Ambassador Program. I worked with the Middle School Baseball Development League and was connected with Coach Ford at Parks Middle School. This school is located in downtown Atlanta and is part of the Atlanta Public School System.

Mrs. Stewart, who was my contact, let me know that I could best serve the organization by assisting with the team at this school and put me in contact with Coach Ford. Coach Ford introduced me to the team as Coach Brown, and I worked with the fifteen seventh and eighth graders at their practices on Monday afternoons. I worked with the pitchers during each practice, teaching them the proper mechanics of throwing both from the wind up and stretch. I also taught them how to properly pick off to each base and was able to teach a new pitch to the more advanced pitchers on the team, the change-up. I also helped out in other skills during practice such as fielding ground balls, catching fly balls, and hitting the ball. During one intra-squad scrimmage at practice I pitched to the players. I basically did whatever Coach Ford needed me to do because he planned out the practices and had his itinerary in mind when making the schedule, so I helped out in whatever he needed me to do. I felt right at home with a glove on my left hand and a baseball in my right. I was a little apprehensive at first just driving to the school based on the community and neighborhood, but once I got introduced to the guys and we started practicing, I felt right at home.

I expected that this experience would be one where I kind of helped out a little bit, not with anyone in particular, but just some pitching help with a variety of players. But with the L.E.A.D. organization having me go to the same school, with the same players and coaches every week, I was able to develop a relationship with some of the players and definitely with Coach Ford. As I taught him things about baseball, he was there teaching me how to lead young men and giving me tips on excelling as a teacher. Coach Ford actually even brought his son and two of the players out to a Kennesaw State game against Georgia State, where they were able to see me pitch. I was also able to develop relationships with those higher up in the organization such as the CEO, C.J. Stewart, who wants me to come out anytime I have an opportunity to join in with any events they host. So overall, I wasn’t expecting to make the connections and develop the relationships that I was able to do through this experience.

The first assumption that I brought in was that they would be practicing at a baseball field, but I was proved wrong. This blew my mind because for as long as I’ve been playing baseball, basically every practice that I’ve been a part of has taken place on a baseball field. These students had to practice on a not very well kept field that needed bases to be put out to make it a field. Even though they didn’t have a baseball field, they were able to get the things done that they needed to get done in order to improve their skill during practice and get ready for the games on Saturdays. I also assumed that the students would be further advanced in their baseball skill level. My thinking was that they have probably played in the past in local youth leagues, but I found out quickly that we would have to go back to the basics in order for these players to be successful and not give up. I also assumed that they students would have their own gloves and maybe even bats, but I learned that most of them don’t have the money to purchase a glove and rely on the organization to supply gloves and everything else.

I used to be under the impression that not very many African Americans play professional baseball because they don’t have the desire to play it at a high level, but through this experience I’ve learned that’s not the case. Many African Americans love the game of baseball, but are unable to play the sport due to the lack of community based opportunities as well as the potential costs for the sport. By offering these opportunities in not only Atlanta, but many of the major cities around the United States, I believe that we can raise the number of African Americans that play major league baseball, and it all starts with creating these opportunities.

Three big ideas related to diversity that I found through this experience would be:

1– Regardless of the diversity of the group, sports can bring people together. In my case, I was able to meet up with a group of students and coaches that I normally wouldn’t have come across and develop relationships with. We all came from different places, different families, and different communities, but were able to come together to achieve a common goal through the sport of baseball.

2– Being engulfed in a diverse setting makes you, as a teacher, find ways to communicate so that the students can understand. We talked in class about being able to communicate to the students is key in helping them learn, so in a diverse setting, or one that is out of the ordinary, it is important to find a common language. I was able to help the students by not talking as much and more showing the students how to perform certain skills. I was able to communicate in a non-verbal way to the students and those that were visual learners were able to pick up the skill more clearly than if I would have just told them.

3– Find a way to relate things to the task at hand to what the students have grown up learning about in their culture. For me this meant taking some of the skills in baseball and explaining how they might have used the skill in another sport such as football or basketball. When working with the outfielders, I was able to do some drills that are similar to football defensive back drills by having them move sideways, forward, and backwards to catch balls in the air. By relating this skill to something that they have seen and been a part of during their youth sports, there attentiveness increased and it looked like they were having fun.

This was a great experience for me to be part of and I enjoyed every minute of it. I hope that the people that I worked with were able to learn as much from me as I did from them. I look forward to hearing how the team does in the playoffs and am going to try to make it out to their game on Saturday

Fork in the road

April 25, 2011 by C.J. Stewart

The L.E.A.D. Middle School Baseball Development League is going well. So well that our Leaders from our six partner APS middle schools are asking us to form a summer exposure team. The thought of a Junior Ambassadors team sounds so good.

Our middle school Leaders are faced with a very important week as they take the CRCT test. When this week is over, there are only a few more weeks until school is out for the summer. “What is there to look forward to” is the question that some of our Leaders have asked me.

Without summer baseball programs being offered at their neighborhood recreation center, they are left to be creative with their time this summer. I’m shaking my head as I type.

With the help of our L.E.A.D. Tailgate Club, we may be able to provide 15 scholarship opportunities to Junior Ambassadors for the summer. Making the selections from our current 90 league participants will be difficult but the reward will be sweet to Atlanta! They will have a unique opportunity to experience the L.E.A.D. Way which is excellence in Academics, Athletics, Service/Civic Engagement and Exposure. The things that they will learn this summer will truly allow them to be Ambassadors and be better prepared for school in the fall.

Recurring financial donations of any amount can be made at www.Lead2Legacy.org. I also encourage you to meet some of our Leaders and high school Ambassadors for our L.E.A.D. Tailgate party before the Sunday, May 15th Braves vs. Phillies game at Turner Field. Check out our website so that you can get in on the action. Here is your opportunity to help a young man who is at that fork in the road. Your support will help him go in the right direction. L.E.A.D. him Today and Change his Tomorrow!

L.E.A.D., Inc. | L.E.A.D. Center For Youth